Editorial
As a public policy institution, we have often raised critical concerns regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) approach to governance, its institutional organization, and its political human resource management. These critiques are not without merit—PTI’s administrative inconsistencies, centralization of decision-making, and internal organizational weaknesses have often hindered the party’s ability to deliver effectively while in power or even while in opposition.
However, in any functioning democracy, the right to govern does not come from perfection—it comes from the people’s mandate. And based on the outcome of the 2024 general elections, PTI holds that mandate. Any assessment of Pakistan’s democratic future must begin with an honest recognition of this electoral fact.
Despite institutional obstacles, pre-poll manipulation, mass disqualifications, and targeted legal challenges, PTI emerged as the clear winner in the national vote. Independent surveys, turnout patterns, and constituency-level trends all support the claim that PTI had overwhelming public support across major regions. The party’s narrative of sovereignty, anti-elite politics, and defiance resonated strongly with the youth, middle class, and even segments of the rural vote.
To ignore or bypass this mandate is not just undemocratic—it is a rejection of the public will. A government formed through post-election manipulation, coercion, and selective validation cannot command legitimacy in the eyes of the people, nor can it claim to represent the spirit of constitutional democracy.
Therefore, accepting a government tainted by electoral rigging, political engineering, or bureaucratic overreach is fundamentally unacceptable. The rule of law and the constitution demand that power be vested in the party that secured the people’s trust.
While PTI must improve its governance model, restructure its internal organization, and foster a more democratic political culture, its right to govern must not be denied. Democracy is not about preference—it is about principle. And by that principle, PTI holds the moral and constitutional right to lead.
